Not sure how it happened, but somehow society has normalized the adrenalin rush as a way of life. Must get here, must get there, make this phone call, send this email. Make more money, then spend it on gadgets that keep us busy all the time.
People are overbooked, and the frantic pace of life has led to an epidemic of sleep deprivation. The US Centre for Disease Control has called this a public health epidemic, and a UK study says lack of sleep has now begun affecting children. On top of that, many if not most have poor diets, as revealed by the proliferation of fast food outlets and overweight people, as well as the evolution of grocery store shelves towards more ready-to-eat foods. For many people, normal habits like cooking meals at home, sleeping eight hours, and taking walks after dinner now seem impossible.
I know Vancouver doesn't handle snow very well, but I hope that tonight the promised snowstorm will come. Maybe it will encourage us to look around, breathe, walk in the winter wonderland. Most importantly, it might make people slow down, accept a slightly less frantic pace than usual, at least for the few hours until it melts again.
I hope that my readers will make it a priority to take care of themselves this coming Christmas holiday. Turn off the cell phone and computer for awhile. Sleep in, cook at home, play outside and take the time to relax and just chill. Even a short period of midwinter stillness will begin to mend frazzled nerves, make us whole again.
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